India Prepares to Host Quad Summit Amid Agenda Discussions

India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar announced that the agenda for the upcoming Quad Summit, which India will host later this year, is still under discussion. New ideas on disaster resilience, digital connectivity, and capacity-building in the Indo-Pacific are being considered.

As India readies itself to host the Quad Summit later this year, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar revealed on Monday that the summit's agenda is still being finalized. He mentioned that new topics such as disaster resilience and physical connectivity are under consideration. Jaishankar stated, "India is the host for this year's Quad, and we are still deliberating on the summit's schedule."

When questioned about the specifics of the agenda, Jaishankar said, "Today, we introduced several new ideas like disaster resilience, digital, critical emerging technologies, and physical connectivity. The focus is on building capacities across the Indo-Pacific." He elaborated further, explaining, "We aim to empower countries to make informed choices by enhancing their capacities."

In Tokyo on Monday, the Foreign Ministers of Australia, India, and Japan, along with the US Secretary of State, reiterated their commitment to upholding the international order. They expressed eagerness for India to host the next Quad Leaders' Summit. A joint statement clarified, "We anticipate India hosting this year's summit and the United States hosting the 2025 Foreign Ministers' meeting."

At a White House briefing on July 25, US National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby confirmed President Joe Biden's commitment to the Quad Summit but revealed no dates were scheduled yet. Notably, the US presidential elections are set for November.

President Biden was pivotal in convening the first virtual Quad meeting in March 2021. The summits have now evolved to include national leaders. The inaugural in-person Quad summit occurred on September 24, 2021, hosted by the White House. Since then, the summit has rotated annually among member countries, with India scheduled to host it this year.

(With inputs from agencies.)